On Monday, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia labeled the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) as “undesirable.” The office accused IBO of promoting Western values and disseminating anti-Russian propaganda.
In an official statement, the prosecutor’s office asserted, “The purpose of this NGO is to mold Russian youth according to Western ideals. Its educational approach involves imposing its interpretation of historical events, distorting well-known facts, propagating anti-Russian narratives, and inciting interethnic tension.”
Established in 1968, the IBO offers educational programs for students aged 3 to 19 that focus on critical thinking and fostering intercultural understanding, as stated on its website. These programs are implemented in approximately 5,000 educational institutions across 151 countries.
The IBO has licensed its programs to numerous public and private schools in Russia, including the International Gymnasium at the Skolkovo Innovation Center located near Moscow. The organization had previously criticized Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine and committed to supporting students and teachers affected by the conflict.
The prosecutor’s office alleged that the IBO has “modified” its curriculum since the onset of the invasion to reflect the “Russophobic position of the collective West,” which includes supposed calls for international isolation of Russia and “material that discredits the Russian military.” They also accused IBO representatives of endorsing “non-traditional values influenced by the ideologies of prohibited extremist groups.”
According to Russian legislation, association with an “undesirable” organization can result in a maximum sentence of four years in prison, while leaders may face up to six years.
Russia enacted its “undesirable” law in 2015 to suppress independent media, opposition groups, and foreign entities. Currently, hundreds of organizations are on the blacklist, including The Moscow Times, which was added last summer.
